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Big Finish: Monthly Range #201
Doctor Who: We Are the Daleks
The year is 1987, and Britain is divided. In Bradford, strikers are picketing and clashing with the police. In the City of London, stockbrokers are drinking champagne and politicians are courting the super-rich. The mysterious media mogul Alek Zenos, head of the Zenos Corporation, is offering Britain an economic miracle. His partners wish to invest – and their terms are too good to refuse.
While the Doctor investigates Warfleet, a new computer game craze that is sweeping the nation, Mel goes undercover to find out the truth about Zenos’s partners.
The Daleks have a new paradigm. They intend to conquer the universe using economic power. The power of the free market!
While the Doctor investigates Warfleet, a new computer game craze that is sweeping the nation, Mel goes undercover to find out the truth about Zenos’s partners.
The Daleks have a new paradigm. They intend to conquer the universe using economic power. The power of the free market!
Audio CD
First published July 1, 2015
1 person is currently reading
60 people want to read
About the author
Jonathan Morris
214 books70 followersJonathan Morris is one of the most prolific and popular writers of Doctor Who books, including the highly-regarded novels 'Festival of Death' and 'Touched by an Angel' and the recent guide to monsters, 'The Monster Vault'. He has also written numerous comic strips, most of which were collected in 'The Child of Time', and audios for BBC Audio and Big Finish, including the highly-regarded comedies 'Max Warp' and 'The Auntie Matter', as well as the adaptation of Russell T Davies’ 'Damaged Goods'.
Recently he has started his own audio production company, Average Romp. Releases include a full-cast adaptation of Charles Dickens' The Chimes', an original play, 'When Michael Met Benny', and three episodes of a SF sitcom, 'Dick Dixon in the 21st Century'.
For details visit www.averageromp.com
He also originated his own series, Vienna and script-edited the Nigel Planer series 'Jeremiah Bourne in Time'. He’s also written documentaries and for TV sketch shows.
Librarian note:
There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name
Recently he has started his own audio production company, Average Romp. Releases include a full-cast adaptation of Charles Dickens' The Chimes', an original play, 'When Michael Met Benny', and three episodes of a SF sitcom, 'Dick Dixon in the 21st Century'.
For details visit www.averageromp.com
He also originated his own series, Vienna and script-edited the Nigel Planer series 'Jeremiah Bourne in Time'. He’s also written documentaries and for TV sketch shows.
Librarian note:
There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
June 23, 2024
The seventh doctor and Mel arrive in London, in the year 1987. But this isn’t the 1987 as it should be, something is very wrong. And it’s clear from the start that the Daleks have something to do with it. So they decide to investigate.
The doctor investigates the new computer game that’s taking the world by storm. And Mel goes undercover in the mysterious Zenos corporation, which is responsible for said new computer game.
It’s the kind of story that might not be the most original story around but, it still manages to feel fresh and exciting for both the Daleks and the seventh incarnation of the doctor. And it’s executed well enough so that makes it easy to simply enjoy the story for what it is. It’s a rather fast-paced story with quite a few interesting moment to keep you hooked from start to finish. The Daleks abusing human greed and the addictiveness of video games to conquer the human race definitely makes for an entertaining concept. That doesn’t mean the story doesn’t have any flaws. But they’re all rather minor flaws. Some small details here and there that could be improved on. There’s no big obvious flaws that stand out here.
As the actress Bonnie Langford herself says in the interview part after the story, Mel as a character gets the chance to do more in these audio adventures than in her original run on TV. And she grabs the opportunity to stand in the spotlights with both hands and refuses to let it go. Sylvester McCoy’s performance as the seventh doctor is also very energetic, which only elevates an already strong story.
A cool concept in an eighties jacket that’s simply executed well, which makes for a very enjoyable audio Doctor Who experience.
The doctor investigates the new computer game that’s taking the world by storm. And Mel goes undercover in the mysterious Zenos corporation, which is responsible for said new computer game.
It’s the kind of story that might not be the most original story around but, it still manages to feel fresh and exciting for both the Daleks and the seventh incarnation of the doctor. And it’s executed well enough so that makes it easy to simply enjoy the story for what it is. It’s a rather fast-paced story with quite a few interesting moment to keep you hooked from start to finish. The Daleks abusing human greed and the addictiveness of video games to conquer the human race definitely makes for an entertaining concept. That doesn’t mean the story doesn’t have any flaws. But they’re all rather minor flaws. Some small details here and there that could be improved on. There’s no big obvious flaws that stand out here.
As the actress Bonnie Langford herself says in the interview part after the story, Mel as a character gets the chance to do more in these audio adventures than in her original run on TV. And she grabs the opportunity to stand in the spotlights with both hands and refuses to let it go. Sylvester McCoy’s performance as the seventh doctor is also very energetic, which only elevates an already strong story.
A cool concept in an eighties jacket that’s simply executed well, which makes for a very enjoyable audio Doctor Who experience.
December 29, 2019
Just finished listening to 'We are the Daleks' by Jonathan Morris and this was such a great idea to use Daleks and computer games and I love the cover! Jonathan Morris did a great dalek story with this one
February 5, 2016
Good to hear Sylvester and Bonnie together again after a decade or so and this one matches the goofiness of the early Seventh Doctor stories. A little silly in places with the Daleks invading 1980s London using venture capitalism and online gaming. A lot of politics in this one.
July 17, 2015
Another "fun" fascistic dalek story this time set in Thatcher's Britain.
February 4, 2020
The following review was originally published in the online newspaper The Orkney News in 2019. Link here. https://theorkneynews.scot/2019/06/22...
Doctor Who: We Are The Daleks by Johnathan Morris – released by Big Finish Productions
I think it’s time I return to Doctor Who once again and if I’m going to review something from the ever growing catalog of TARDIS adventures I may as well bring up Big Finish once again. As I mentioned previously in my reviews of Doctor Who: All-Consuming Fire and the Big Finish Original Cicero Big Finish Productions are an audio production company who have held a licence from the BBC to produce Doctor Who audio dramas since 1999 – in almost all cases using the original actors from the television show – the only exceptions being examples where they can’t persuade the actor to reprise their role or if the actor in question has passed on.
More recently they have done similar projects with other series such as The Prisoner, Sherlock Holmes or Star Trek as well as various other original works. But regardless I confess it is thanks to their Doctor Who work that I am a fan of the company. As such I have decided to review two of their Doctor Who audio releases from their main monthly range. One of which – today’s subject – is a personal favourite and the second of which is a universally regarded classic.
We will begin with Johnathan Morris’s We Are The Daleks. The plot in simple terms is as follows: The year is 1987. The Seventh Doctor as played by Sylvester McCoy and his companion Mel who originally came from around this time period have returned to London but things are a bit different than Mel remembers. For starters there’s a very large tower in the centre of London. The Zenos Tower and the connected Zenos Corporation only...the tower is in the shape of a Dalek. And the Daleks and their friend Alek Zenos seemed to have changed plans. Rather than conquer the planet through force they offer the politicians of London...of England...a deal. Act as the Dalek’s ‘favoured nation’ and they will give the English intergalactic economic power. The Daleks seek to use the free market! There is more to it than that of course. How are the Thals involved? And what’s the connection between the Daleks and the Warfleet gaming console that’s becoming the latest craze among the children of the nation?
The cast are clearly all having quite a lot of fun with the concept. McCoy and Bonnie Langford as Mel are both on fine form, sounding just like they would have done in TV together all those years ago. Langford in particular is given a large focus in the story, frequently interacting with the guest characters giving her plenty of chance to develop the character of Mel and differentiate herself from The Doctor. McCoy is at his best here, slowly pushing the pieces around the playing board like the chess master his Doctor becomes in his later television appearances. Not to mention the odd bit of sarcasm or invective laced with venom.
The guest cast is also playing their parts with requisite gusto. Nicholas ‘Voice of the Daleks and Cybermen among others’ Briggs is clearly enjoying the idea of politician Daleks and interacting with a lawyer-friendly version of the then present Government. That same enthusiasm carries over to Angus Wright and Mary Conlon who play Alek Zenos and (Totally Not Margret Thatcher stand in) Celia Dunthorpe respectively. Wright is sure to play Zenos with just the right level of smooth talking political smarminess befitting someone who would work for the Daleks while Conlon throws herself into the part of a politician who the Daleks very easily persuade. She is a personal highlight of the story’s comedic writing especially later in the story. Outside of the story’s comedic political angle Ashley Zhangazha is very convincing as Brinsley playing the kind of person that a game like Warfleet would appeal to with exactly the right tone. His interactions with Mel and the Thal characters are perfectly acted.
The other main character of note who is mostly at the Doctor’s side in the story is Serena Paget as played by Kirsty Besterman. Paget is a very good interpretation of the reporter with a conscience. Her investigation into Warfleet and moments with Brinsley can be quite engaging although I personally do find her character a bit too normal or average compared to the rest of the cast.
Johnathan Morris’s writing sparkles with both appropriate comedic wit that definitely seems to fit the era of the show he is trying to evoke and a good sense of pacing. We Are The Daleks has become one of those stories I can just put on regardless of my mood and relax. It always seems to make me grin. It is also quite a good story to act as a jumping on point for Big Finish’s Doctor Who main monthly range if I have captured your interest. I believe it was also conceived of and written with that goal in mind so there are no obtuse references to earlier Big Finish work or Doctor Who TV stories that only the more long-term fans would get.
In short I highly recommend We Are The Daleks. It is suitably tongue-in- cheek and entertaining while having a message of sorts – put into it by the passage of time – that I think a select few individuals could have learned from a few years ago. It might not be everyone’s cup of tea and I understand that. But it’s still a modern favourite of mine. For those who are interested there is a trailer on the Big Finish website alongside a trailer for almost every release. But I’m not quite done with Big Finish Productions just yet. It’s time I talk to you of Mondas, Earth’s Twin Planet in the Solar System and just what happened to its inhabitants.
Sayonara!
Nephrite
Doctor Who: We Are The Daleks by Johnathan Morris – released by Big Finish Productions
I think it’s time I return to Doctor Who once again and if I’m going to review something from the ever growing catalog of TARDIS adventures I may as well bring up Big Finish once again. As I mentioned previously in my reviews of Doctor Who: All-Consuming Fire and the Big Finish Original Cicero Big Finish Productions are an audio production company who have held a licence from the BBC to produce Doctor Who audio dramas since 1999 – in almost all cases using the original actors from the television show – the only exceptions being examples where they can’t persuade the actor to reprise their role or if the actor in question has passed on.
More recently they have done similar projects with other series such as The Prisoner, Sherlock Holmes or Star Trek as well as various other original works. But regardless I confess it is thanks to their Doctor Who work that I am a fan of the company. As such I have decided to review two of their Doctor Who audio releases from their main monthly range. One of which – today’s subject – is a personal favourite and the second of which is a universally regarded classic.
We will begin with Johnathan Morris’s We Are The Daleks. The plot in simple terms is as follows: The year is 1987. The Seventh Doctor as played by Sylvester McCoy and his companion Mel who originally came from around this time period have returned to London but things are a bit different than Mel remembers. For starters there’s a very large tower in the centre of London. The Zenos Tower and the connected Zenos Corporation only...the tower is in the shape of a Dalek. And the Daleks and their friend Alek Zenos seemed to have changed plans. Rather than conquer the planet through force they offer the politicians of London...of England...a deal. Act as the Dalek’s ‘favoured nation’ and they will give the English intergalactic economic power. The Daleks seek to use the free market! There is more to it than that of course. How are the Thals involved? And what’s the connection between the Daleks and the Warfleet gaming console that’s becoming the latest craze among the children of the nation?
The cast are clearly all having quite a lot of fun with the concept. McCoy and Bonnie Langford as Mel are both on fine form, sounding just like they would have done in TV together all those years ago. Langford in particular is given a large focus in the story, frequently interacting with the guest characters giving her plenty of chance to develop the character of Mel and differentiate herself from The Doctor. McCoy is at his best here, slowly pushing the pieces around the playing board like the chess master his Doctor becomes in his later television appearances. Not to mention the odd bit of sarcasm or invective laced with venom.
The guest cast is also playing their parts with requisite gusto. Nicholas ‘Voice of the Daleks and Cybermen among others’ Briggs is clearly enjoying the idea of politician Daleks and interacting with a lawyer-friendly version of the then present Government. That same enthusiasm carries over to Angus Wright and Mary Conlon who play Alek Zenos and (Totally Not Margret Thatcher stand in) Celia Dunthorpe respectively. Wright is sure to play Zenos with just the right level of smooth talking political smarminess befitting someone who would work for the Daleks while Conlon throws herself into the part of a politician who the Daleks very easily persuade. She is a personal highlight of the story’s comedic writing especially later in the story. Outside of the story’s comedic political angle Ashley Zhangazha is very convincing as Brinsley playing the kind of person that a game like Warfleet would appeal to with exactly the right tone. His interactions with Mel and the Thal characters are perfectly acted.
The other main character of note who is mostly at the Doctor’s side in the story is Serena Paget as played by Kirsty Besterman. Paget is a very good interpretation of the reporter with a conscience. Her investigation into Warfleet and moments with Brinsley can be quite engaging although I personally do find her character a bit too normal or average compared to the rest of the cast.
Johnathan Morris’s writing sparkles with both appropriate comedic wit that definitely seems to fit the era of the show he is trying to evoke and a good sense of pacing. We Are The Daleks has become one of those stories I can just put on regardless of my mood and relax. It always seems to make me grin. It is also quite a good story to act as a jumping on point for Big Finish’s Doctor Who main monthly range if I have captured your interest. I believe it was also conceived of and written with that goal in mind so there are no obtuse references to earlier Big Finish work or Doctor Who TV stories that only the more long-term fans would get.
In short I highly recommend We Are The Daleks. It is suitably tongue-in- cheek and entertaining while having a message of sorts – put into it by the passage of time – that I think a select few individuals could have learned from a few years ago. It might not be everyone’s cup of tea and I understand that. But it’s still a modern favourite of mine. For those who are interested there is a trailer on the Big Finish website alongside a trailer for almost every release. But I’m not quite done with Big Finish Productions just yet. It’s time I talk to you of Mondas, Earth’s Twin Planet in the Solar System and just what happened to its inhabitants.
Sayonara!
Nephrite
August 31, 2022
This was a particularly satisfying listen just now - some may say that the time setting draws parallels with a particular politician of that era, and for me it came across more as eerily prescient of the present day for the time it was written, never mind all the knowing nods towards technological advances to come. But however aligned with one's own views and prejudices, the story still has to be decent and fit the Doctor of the day. Which it was, with some nice twists and ideas.
October 30, 2019
The Daleks – most evil of all the universe's creatures – become... capitalists.
March 9, 2019
It's common, although not universal, for Big Finish's "contemporary"
Doctor Who
stories to be set around the time that the TV series would have been showing episodes with relevant Doctor and companion, rather in our actual present day. Normally, this makes little difference, but, in this case, Morris is plugging the '80s atmosphere for all its worth in a plot involving Thatcherite Daleks trying to conquer the Earth with the aid of a (presumably) 16-bit video game.
The result is, of course, strongly political, which may not be to everyone's taste - although it's not really any more so than, say, The Happiness Patrol. One of the main villains is obviously based on Thatcher herself, and the storyline involves both greedy stockbrokers and picketers fighting with riot police, among other things. There's also plenty of action in the story, much of it mediated through the video game, using a plot device vaguely reminiscent of that of The Last Starfighter, if rather darker. And there are even sly nods at the modern series (mainly series 5, for some reason), as well as a number of more direct connections to the classic one.
All of this should make a story that's rather better than I found it to be. The problem is that the plot isn't really as good as the set-up, with a few leaps of logic here and there that caught me by surprise (they were presumably intended as "fridge logic" at best). And there's an entire subplot that just gets forgotten about half-way through and is never referenced again. The overall concept, and a number of rather good lines, compensate for this, and it's a good use of Mel, who is supposed to be a computer programmer, but I just didn't enjoy it enough to give out 4 stars.
The result is, of course, strongly political, which may not be to everyone's taste - although it's not really any more so than, say, The Happiness Patrol. One of the main villains is obviously based on Thatcher herself, and the storyline involves both greedy stockbrokers and picketers fighting with riot police, among other things. There's also plenty of action in the story, much of it mediated through the video game, using a plot device vaguely reminiscent of that of The Last Starfighter, if rather darker. And there are even sly nods at the modern series (mainly series 5, for some reason), as well as a number of more direct connections to the classic one.
All of this should make a story that's rather better than I found it to be. The problem is that the plot isn't really as good as the set-up, with a few leaps of logic here and there that caught me by surprise (they were presumably intended as "fridge logic" at best). And there's an entire subplot that just gets forgotten about half-way through and is never referenced again. The overall concept, and a number of rather good lines, compensate for this, and it's a good use of Mel, who is supposed to be a computer programmer, but I just didn't enjoy it enough to give out 4 stars.
December 1, 2025
"All people care about it being able to put food on the table, being able to make ends meet. They don't care who makes their microwave ovens or video recorders, they just want them at the cheapest price."
"Some of them care."
"People don't care. They don't care if their petrol is provided by an oppressive regime, or if their oranges are grown by a country with apartheid. They just want to be allowed to get on with their lives."
"Some of them care."
"People don't care. They don't care if their petrol is provided by an oppressive regime, or if their oranges are grown by a country with apartheid. They just want to be allowed to get on with their lives."
August 25, 2020
3
Action packed mindless nonsense. I wouldn’t mind if it was just that little bit better, but it’s full of the tricks and fake-outs that narratively sink a lot of adventure stories. Some good imagery here and there.
Action packed mindless nonsense. I wouldn’t mind if it was just that little bit better, but it’s full of the tricks and fake-outs that narratively sink a lot of adventure stories. Some good imagery here and there.
April 19, 2025
Fairly average but a welcome return for the Dalek Emperor. I went into it expecting it to be something new for the Daleks when it turned out to be very same-y. Still, it's good for Mel, but I find her character was better suited to the plot of The Juggernauts.
December 3, 2025
Top to bottom a definitive 7 story. I can understand if you feel it drags in spots but I feel this is a great and well rounded story and it has maybe 7's best speech. Also one of the best Big Finish cover art.
August 14, 2017
Really enjoyed this adventure. Seems to be on the cusp of 7 becoming his plotting self, still goofy before Mel's first leave I would suspect. Needs more spoons!
Read
April 10, 2021Me? Actively enjoying a Dalek story? It's more likely than you think!
August 18, 2022
Different political themes aren't entirely subtle but then again the Daleks never were subtle. This story is energetic, entertaining and hilarious. Plenty of iconic Dalek moments. I love it.
July 23, 2023
Kind of classic to have this video game driven premise.
December 16, 2024
Sylvester McCoy. Love it
July 20, 2025
This is an audio by Jonathan Morris, whose other two audios, Bloodtide and Curse of Davros, I absolutely loved and all got five stars from me. While this was not as good as the other two I listened to, it was still fun. And I think that's a good way to describe Jonathan Morris's style: "fun."
Like his other two audios, this one has a nice sense of adventure to it. There's a constant sense of movement and excitement to it. But I have to say, this story feels a lot more like something you'd find in the Sara Jane Adventures rather than Doctor Who. The whole idea of the Daleks creating a video game where the players think it's all a game, but in actuality, they controlling a spaceship on another planet, fighting against the Thails on a Dalek battlefield, is just like the Sara Jane Adventures episode Warriors of Kudlak.
The idea of combining Daleks with Thaturism was an okay idea, but I don't feel that this story was very interesting. I feel like this story should have focused more on the executive that the Daleks were trying to tempt than the Doctor and Mel. But I did like the image of a whole board of executives being teleported to Skaro. It also made me wonder, "What if someone made a story just like this one, but instead of Thaturites, the Daleks teamed up with Ayn Rand-style Objectivists?" I feel the theories and beliefs of Ayn Rand are almost one-to-one with the Daleks, and hearing the Daleks saying Ayn Randian philosophy would be a treat.
One thing that really bugs me about this story is that the front cover shows an Imperial Dalek from Remembrance of the Daleks, and the Emperor Dalek show up in this story, so you would expect the Emperor to be Davros like it always is. But the Emperor in this story is voiced by Nicholas Briggs, like all the other Daleks, and is clearly not Davros. So these are clearly not the Imperial Daleks, so why did they put them on the front cover if they're not even in the story?
I'm sure not all these problems will bother you as they did me; I still loved it all the same. But I feel their should have been a bit more rewrite on this story to make the ideas feel more focused.
Like his other two audios, this one has a nice sense of adventure to it. There's a constant sense of movement and excitement to it. But I have to say, this story feels a lot more like something you'd find in the Sara Jane Adventures rather than Doctor Who. The whole idea of the Daleks creating a video game where the players think it's all a game, but in actuality, they controlling a spaceship on another planet, fighting against the Thails on a Dalek battlefield, is just like the Sara Jane Adventures episode Warriors of Kudlak.
The idea of combining Daleks with Thaturism was an okay idea, but I don't feel that this story was very interesting. I feel like this story should have focused more on the executive that the Daleks were trying to tempt than the Doctor and Mel. But I did like the image of a whole board of executives being teleported to Skaro. It also made me wonder, "What if someone made a story just like this one, but instead of Thaturites, the Daleks teamed up with Ayn Rand-style Objectivists?" I feel the theories and beliefs of Ayn Rand are almost one-to-one with the Daleks, and hearing the Daleks saying Ayn Randian philosophy would be a treat.
One thing that really bugs me about this story is that the front cover shows an Imperial Dalek from Remembrance of the Daleks, and the Emperor Dalek show up in this story, so you would expect the Emperor to be Davros like it always is. But the Emperor in this story is voiced by Nicholas Briggs, like all the other Daleks, and is clearly not Davros. So these are clearly not the Imperial Daleks, so why did they put them on the front cover if they're not even in the story?
I'm sure not all these problems will bother you as they did me; I still loved it all the same. But I feel their should have been a bit more rewrite on this story to make the ideas feel more focused.
December 14, 2016
The Doctor and Mel land on Earth that the Daleks have tricked some people into thinking they want to help the planet. Can the Doctor foil their plan.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews